River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-07-28
The Reason why Uncle Zachary will
not Keep or Sell Cider.

| guess the good old ways is good
enough for us. My father n mother
and your father II mother never seer
no harm in cider, and what'd do fOl
them guess'll do for u.s..
circumstances might alter cases, y
said the wife. ''If we see danger
ahead, mebbe it Amt with while tC
stop and consider what our forefathers
did or didn't; mebbe it's safer to steer
right out of danger, the first thing.
I've been thinking as mebbe we might
improve on them's gone before us, in
some things"
Here the conversation was interrupt.
ed. l only give it to show that the
anxious mother had begun to suspect
that there was danger in a glass of
cider, and this suspicion had risen
from fear that it was having an in.
fluence on her son.
In Uncle Zachary's barn there was
barrel of cider that was sharp and
strong. The son and his companions
had access to this, and it had become
a custom to treat all aronnd on certain
occasions. Evening after evening
these young men took their drink of
cider, after their return from some
social gathering. The whole neighbOr-
hood of boys became demoralized, and
yet their elders had no suspicion that
the cider was at fault.
About three miles from Uncle Zach
ary's was place called the Corners, "
and there, in country store, liquor
was sold. Although wine and cider
were common beverages among the
farmers, still public sentiment had
advanced far enough to make liquor
saloon somewhat disreputable. Ru-
mOrs floated about that Uncle ZachaIy's
son, as well as others of his set, occas-
iOnally took drinks at the bar, but it
came very vaguely to the homes of the
boys, and was not credited.
1t was at an old fashioned New Eng
land picnic at the sea-shore when IN
Gle Zachary and his wife were forced
to see the way their son was drifting.
A holt dozen young men came dashing
onto the grounds about midday. All
the picnickers gathered about to well
come them. All were noisy and hill
ariOus, but one was flushed. with
cleaning eyes, waving his hat IN air,
and making himself strangely conspic-
uO,iS.
This was Uncle Zachary's son. He
sprang with hurrah from the wagon,
and fell in a maudlin heap on the
ground. His voice was thick; he could
neither talk straight nor walk straight.
There was no mistaking his condition.
He was drunk.
1t was a heart.rending sight, and the
picnic party was awed into silence and
sorrow. What of the father and moth
er! Their shame, their grief, their
fearsl who can depict them! This was
not hearsay or SANDER. With their
own eyes they saw that their son had
progressed in the drinking habit until
it controlled him. They knew he had
begun with but glass of cider. Why
had he not drunk with moderation!
Why had he been so weak as to be
overcome! His heart-broken parents
did not ask these questions. They
only saw that he had not drunk with
moderation but that he had been over.
| come.
l will tell you how it all ended. Un'
Gle Zachary did not sleep that night
until every drop of cider on his prem
Uses was mixed with strong vinegar
and his wife did not sleep until she
had poured into her sons ears hel
contrition and her agony, and pleaded
with him with all mothers earnest
ness and affection to give her prom
Use that he would never touch intoxi
eating liquors again.
Long she wrestled with him. 1t wa:
like pleading for his life. Nothing
would satisfy her but total abstinence
He hesitated, but he loved his mother
| and he was also bitterly ashamed o.
his disgraceful conduct. For hour:
she begged his promise, using all argu
ments, all persuasiOns within her pow
| or. She would not let him go without
his pledge. He promised at last, ant
was saved. / have reason to believe
he never drank drop of cider or an!
Intoxicating liquor again, and there
fore he became steady and respected
citizen. This is true, not imaginary
Do you wonder now that Uncle Zach
cry will not deal in cider or keep it Oh
his premisesl There is not now ;
! stronger total abstinence man in al
New England than he, nor a NOR
grateful mother than his wife.